We feel so safe now

This is a lyrical adaptation of a previous blog entry.




Caption: A grim-faced semi-automatic machine-gunned policeman

Walking

Barely a month had passed
since squadrons of grim-faced semi-automatic machine-gunned policemen
descended on our streets.

I decide to walk down Orchard, not to shop -
but merely to warm my blue fingers
while trekking under the megawatt lights.

I could out-walk any bus here in Orchard
nearer to Christmas:
Perhaps the frowning commuters on their buses
think this while they stare out of the windows -
but they do not get off, do not start walking.

It confuses me this time, to see the
costumed carnivallers, stiltwalkers, jugglers, acrobats even,
and the dolled-up women or men scattered throughout.
Perhaps the tourism board wanted to celebrate
both Mardi Gras and Christmas.

A crowd stared, immobile, at an empty taped-off space
as if something would magically appear at the right time.
Across the street, another crowd looking on,
perhaps waiting for the moment
they'd know what this crowd was looking at.

Shrugging, I move on into the swarm
and realise I haven't seen any grim-faced squad carrying machine guns
and feel, for a moment, secure. Perhaps.